How'd You Join?
by FernFfoulkes
Summary: A prompt and responses from zoundsfern . wordpress . com. Responders so far: Suzanne de Tournai, Elizabeth Blakeney. Just took down Lady Blakeney's response as she's posting it on her own:) Hope you enjoy.
1. The Scenario

_**Here's a prompt and responses from my website, zoundsfern . wordpress . com. Will be updated as the responses flow in!**_

Lilting, laughing sounds sprinkle forth from the ballroom, enticing your footsteps thither. You run the usual gauntlet of livery, maids, and arriving nobility and prance up the steps on the arm of your escort. "The Lady _" the voice announces. The guests already arrived turn and make their deference as you step into the warm throng of dancers. The voice behind you lifts again. "Sir Andrew and Lady Elizabeth Ffoulkes." _Andrew got married?_ you wonder. _Why didn't that make headlines?_ But as you turn, you see that the girl is far to young... probably fifteen or sixteen. That isn't to say that girls don't get married at sixteen, but she looks so immature- even though she stands almost the same height as Andrew. Andrew smiles and waves in your direction. Still curious, you wander over. "This is my sister, Elizabeth." He smiles. "I'm sure you two will make splendid friends."

Later, walking in the garden, Elizabeth and you get to talking about your personalities. "So you love adventure?" she queries. "What kind? Balls? Hunting? Riding?"

"Oh, " You respond. "Well, yes, I suppose. But what really catches my fancy is impossible for me. You have heard of the Scarlet Pimpernel?" She nods, looking down. "My impossible daydream would be to join that league and save aristocrats from that bloody hell. Impossible," you say, looking down at the curves in your dress, "but worth dreaming." Elizabeth gives you one long, sharp look from those penetrating hazel eyes of hers, looking into your soul, perhaps. Suddenly she draws back, into the shadows, catching you by the arm as she does so.

"You speak the truth?" she whispers. You feel strangely terrified, cowed by this fiery spirit who has leapt out of this girl's eyes and is gripping your wrist with a vise. She takes one more good look at you and then drops your wrist. "Pardon." She whispers. "I must know who is safe."

"You know who he is?" you whisper, excitedly.

"That is not within my realm to tell you. However, I have started a small group of girls, The Ring of the Fern, and we help him."

" _Him?"_ you gasp, wonderingly. "Honest, the Scarlet Pimpernel? _Him?"_

"Him." she laughs. "Join, M'dear, it's splendid fun."

"Why, I'd love to! You're too kind..." but her laugh stops you again. Suddenly she grows serious, bending in closer.

"Thursday at Two. Garden tea party at my house. Code is 'Have you planted the Ferns I sent?' Be there." She walks off, not leaving you time to answer. Awfully arrogant of her. No, Smart.

 _How'd you join the Ring? Use this scenario or write your own!_


	2. Suzanne de Tournai's Response

_**Suzanne's response**_

 _"Elizabeth!"_

"hmmm?" she questioned innocently, as if she had done nothing.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting dressed."

" _That's_ obvious. But those are- are _breeches!"_

"Mm-hm. They are. And what about?"

" _Elizabeth!"_

"That's the second time you've said that. What's it supposed to mean?"

I stared at her, mouth open _. What's that supposed to mean?_ Couldn't she see it- well, was scandalous?

"You promised to let me do anything."

"By anything I thought you meant raiding the kitchen or stealing my brother's horse. You should steal his horse. He does stupid things on it."

"I may take your suggestion later. Horsie could be helpful. Your brother, however, is not."

"Well, he is a little obnoxious…."

"A lot, m'dear, a lot."

"Why, he's just a boy…"

"Good grief, girl, the lad's twenty. And an affirmed hot-headed idiot. Try to keep a handle on him, would you?"

I could stand a lot about Elizabeth, but her constant insulting of my brother was just a bit much. Just because he was somewhere around eight inches shorter than her, and a little fiery, didn't mean she had to be so cruel. I would insult her brother in turn, but not only could I find nothing to insult about her brother, but he was also my fiancé…. That might not work so well.

"Well?" I prompted.

"Well?" she shot back.

"What are you doing?"

"Going to France."

" _What?"_

"My dear Suzanne, considering that you are a native of said country, perhaps you should be a little less shocked."

"But- but- the Revolution? I just ran _away_ from France. You know."

"Yes, I do. If it wasn't for your rescue, I might have never known the League existed- anyway, I'm in it now. And that means going to France."

"YOU'RE IN THE LEAGUE?" Elizabeth leapt forward, clamping her hand over my mouth.

"Suzanne! One would think you had more sense!"

She removed her hand from my mouth, and I backed up, wide-eyed.

"Of course I'm not, m'dear," She said a little louder than necessary. "I was just teasing." She pushed me back a little. "Keep your mouth shut, Suzanne," she whispered. "Did Andrew tell you what happened the night you arrived in England?"

"Well, he started to, but then he stopped because it worried me."

"Indeed. Well, I accidentally got myself into the League- maybe not completely on accident. Anyway, I'm headed to Nantes and am using my stay with you as a cover. You promised."

"But- but- It's dangerous!"

She laughed for what seemed like the umpteenth time. Though she was four years my junior, she seemed to think my opinions the prattling of a child. Perhaps they were. I was never especially brave.

"Of course it's dangerous, dear girl! Danger 'tis the spice that warms the pot of life! La, but you wouldn't want to live your whole life without _any_ danger, would you?

My blank stare was answer enough.

"Suzanne! Your life would be so _boring!_ Well, everyone has to be different." She shrugged and went back to her toilette.

"Let me do something to help!"

"You'll run out like a frightened rabbit at the first smell of danger to me or Andrew. Either that or swoon."

"Would not!" She looked at me bemusedly. "Well-"

"Well. That's the problem. The _well_."

I was getting close to tears. It was bad enough when Andrew had his neck in the noose all the time, but Elizabeth too?

"But- with both of you- Elsie, what if something happened?"

"One must always take a chance, Suzanne." She said softly. "Do you think it wasn't dangerous for the League to rescue you and your family? Andrew and the others put their lives on the line to give you- a tomorrow. That's what I'm giving others, a tomorrow. My life is worth nothing, Suzanne. No one would miss me- " she put up her hand at my stuttering protests. "You've only known me for a week, Suzanne. You'd soon forget. So would Andrew. I have no parents, no lovers to cry at my funeral. I, of course, would know nothing but God. It is for those that have someone to cry for them that I am doing this."

All I could see was her back, but her shoulders were slumped, and I could feel that the pain that showed in the depths of her eyes was more visible than ever. Truth is often more painful than laughing something off as a mad adventure.

"I'll help." I said, faltering but sincere. The words surprised even me. Did I want to? Never! But for the truth…

"Bless you, Suzanne. I can't think of anything for you to do at the moment, but I'm sure I will."

"Couldn't we be our own little League?"

"Splendid thought." Elizabeth said, turning. She looked like an eighteen- or nineteen-year-old boy, which would make her by far the youngest in the League. Of course, she was even younger. "We can't be the League, but we could be a guild, or a company, or a regiment, or a ring- We'll be the ring of the Fern! Now, about that horse of your brother's you wanted me to remove from the premises?"

I watched her ride off. God alone knew what I had gotten myself into, but I wasn't about to worm out.

 _Into Terror, into Valor,_

 _Into dangers, into Hell._

 _Never hold back your step for a moment,_

 _Never doubt that your courage will grow,_

 _Hold your head ever higher and into the Fire we'll go!_


End file.
